The Understanding of Race and the Construction of African American Identity‪.‬

The Understanding of Race and the Construction of African American Identity Greenwald (1988) notes that identity development is a process by which an individual establishes a relationship with a reference group. Once this process is complete it has the potential to influence attitudes and behaviors through adoption of group values and goals. Thus, it is important to understand the relationship between external social factors and interactions, and personal understandings that inform the identity.